Mom, Fiancé Charged After Kids Hurt

POTSDAM - A Potsdam mother has been arrested for endangering the welfare of a child, one day after her fiancé was charged with felony assault for allegedly beating her four- and five-year-old sons.

Potsdam Village Police charged Stacie M. Briggs, 23, Friday with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child following an investigation into actions allegedly carried out by her fiancé, Don M. Anson, 25.

Mr. Anson was charged Thursday with two felony counts of second-degree assault following incidents that allegedly took place on March 1 and March 4.

In the first incident police allege Mr. Anson punched a five-year-old boy in the eye with a closed fist, causing bruising around the eye.

Mr. Anson is accused in the second incident of striking a four-year-old boy in the back with a leather belt hard enough to rip off a section of the child's skin, according to police.

Potsdam Police Lt. Edward F. Tischler said charges were filed against the mother of the children Friday after an investigation revealed she knew about the mistreatment but did nothing to stop the alleged abuse.

Mr. Tischler said Ms. Briggs lied to investigators when questioned about the injuries to her children.

"She basically was trying to cover up the incident," Mr. Tischler said.

Mr. Anson and Ms. Briggs are both scheduled to answer the charges at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in Potsdam Village Court.

In a statement given to police, Mr. Anson said he hit both children, the five year old with his fist and the four year old with a belt because he was under stress since losing his job.

He said he had reached out to mental health officials in Canton, but he had been unable to make an appointment to talk with someone.

"I have been staying at home with Stacie and the four kids and starting to feel a lot of stress," Mr. Anson told police. "The boys are very active and never stop. I even went so far as to contact mental health in Canton to get on a list to speak with someone about my stress."

Mr. Anson said his stress boiled over March 1 when lashed out at the five-year-old boy in his care for "acting up."

"I lost my temper with him and struck out at him with my hand hitting him in the face over his right eye,' Mr. Anson said. "I did not knock him down or anything but wanted to get his attention."

Mr. Anson told police he later apologized to the child and spent the next few days trying to stay calm, but he said his anger erupted again, this time during an incident involving a four-year-old child.

"He continued acting up so I grabbed a black leather belt off the kitchen table and went to the living room, where he was, and swung the belt intending to hit him in the butt and he moved and I hit him in the left side of the upper hip leaving a welt and I walked away again and spoke to him and put ice on the welt and made sure it was cleaned."

Mr. Anson said the boy's mother was in the kitchen when both incidents occurred and was angry that he had hit the children.